The Bombardment of Ellwood

One of the only direct attacks on American soil, during the entirety of World War Two, was in the Bombardment of Ellwood. During this event, a naval attack was directed towards an oil refinery situated just off the coast of Santa Barbara, in California. On the evening of February 23rd, 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-17, with 101 men aboard, was ordered to shell the California coastline. In the 20 minute duration of the bombardment, it was estimated that between 12 and 25 explosive shells total were fired, which alluded to very minor damage. The Japanese, targeting a Richfield aviation fuel tank, were able to destroy a derrick, pump house, and cause minor damage to the Ellwood Pier and a catwalk.

In the aftermath of the incident, there was a public scare, and many believed that this minor event was a prelude to a full-on incursion by the Japanese of America, so many citizens fled inland, with a blackout being ordered for the remainder of the night. In addition, many people noticed "signal lights" in the sky or sightings of aircraft. The night proceeding the attack on Elwood saw the "Battle of Los Angeles", where the sightings of aircraft were met with anti-aircraft batteries opening fire upon the sky, alongside spotlights, which resulted in causing large panic among civilians.

The Battle of Los Angeles

Although the bombardment did not cause any considerable damage to the U.S, this event, alongside the so-called "Battle of Los Angeles", gave President Roosevelt a reason for the very controversial relocation of all Japanese Americans to internment camps, just one week after this incident. Japanese submarines continued to conduct and carry out minor attacks on allied shipping of the coast, for the remainder of the war, but there was never another incident that caused the same scare like this one.

Sources:

https://www.history.com/news/world-war-iis-bizarre-battle-of-los-angeles

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/monument-to-the-bombardment-of-ellwood

https://aoghs.org/petroleum-in-war/wwii-sub-attacks-oilfield/